I have enjoyed the series from the get go. I enjoy teenage drama stuff and this stacks up with Spider-Man, featuring a kid who actually seems like a kid. But the series has become more fascinating as it's gone on. The cultural aspect of it, something that Marvel has only touched on in a few projects up to this point, is really interesting. Marvel uses the backdrop of actual history and culture to support it's story. I find it all very interesting. This is coupled with excellent effects and uses of Kamala's power.
While all of this is excellent, there's also a number of things that fall victim to typical Marvel cliches. The villains aren't very interesting and rank as some of the most dull we've seen. Several story elements feel very MCU paint by numbers. They feel like an after thought and the way the core elements are laid out in expository form by a throw away character come across as hackneyed and lazy. These are the kind of development issues the MCU has struggled with in several other projects and it's clear that they are simply trying to get them out of the way to tell a story about something with more emotional impact.
Luckily, while there are some lazy elements here, the strengths outweigh these. Iman Vellani has infectious energy and watching her is a joy. It's all reminiscent of Peter Parker's origin and I have absolutely no complaints about that. The show also has a wonderful use of imagination in several instances, with unique choices of cinematography, blending of illustrations meant to represent Kamala's imagination, and a wonderful use of color that feels all too often missing from MCU project.
Your like for this series will depend on how much interest you have in the culture this story is told through, how much you enjoy coming of age stories, and what exactly you look for in a Marvel show. This has some action, but more often than not, this is a story about a girl and her identity, trying to connect with her culture, and make the connection between her newfound power, it's legacy, and where she stands in it all.
While all of this is excellent, there's also a number of things that fall victim to typical Marvel cliches. The villains aren't very interesting and rank as some of the most dull we've seen. Several story elements feel very MCU paint by numbers. They feel like an after thought and the way the core elements are laid out in expository form by a throw away character come across as hackneyed and lazy. These are the kind of development issues the MCU has struggled with in several other projects and it's clear that they are simply trying to get them out of the way to tell a story about something with more emotional impact.
Luckily, while there are some lazy elements here, the strengths outweigh these. Iman Vellani has infectious energy and watching her is a joy. It's all reminiscent of Peter Parker's origin and I have absolutely no complaints about that. The show also has a wonderful use of imagination in several instances, with unique choices of cinematography, blending of illustrations meant to represent Kamala's imagination, and a wonderful use of color that feels all too often missing from MCU project.
Your like for this series will depend on how much interest you have in the culture this story is told through, how much you enjoy coming of age stories, and what exactly you look for in a Marvel show. This has some action, but more often than not, this is a story about a girl and her identity, trying to connect with her culture, and make the connection between her newfound power, it's legacy, and where she stands in it all.